Costly Worship
Job 1:20,21 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
First we begin by noting that most men, (even Christians) are thanksgivers and not worshippers.
Thanksgiving is saying thanks for something done, worship on the other hand is the blessing of God for who He is, not simply what He has done
Thanksgivers fall apart spiritually when they seemingly have little to give thanks for.
Did you lose your job. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. He wants to teach you He is your provider. He has something better for you. Did your roof spring a leak? Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.Be reminded only your soul is eternal, everything else suffers from corruption.God loves you just as much as when your roof kept you dry.
Jonah 4:6-8 God gave a roof, God took the roof away to teach Jonah a lesson.The lesson was more important than the roof.
Enough we could go on and on suffice it to say, that you are being challenged by God not to be a situation dependent thanksgiver, but a situation independent worshipper.
4 THINGS ABOUT WORSHIP
1. WORSHIP HAS A WALK. Mark 7:5-9
With their lips they honored him, but their lifestyle didn’t.
1 Sam 15:22-35. Worship has a walk.
Rev 12:11 The word of their testimony was backed up by their walk, they loved not their lives unto death.
2. WORSHIP HAS A BOOK. Mark 7:7
Worship has a standard by which it walks.
It is impossible to worship God living by standards other than the ones set down in this book. If you don’t live by the bible’s standards Jesus said your worship would be in vain, or worthless.
3. WORSHIP HAS AN OBJECT. Mark 7:7
(In vain do they worship "ME")
Some will worship only if they are healed. Thus they are worshipping healing.
Some will worship only if they are financially blessed. Thus they are worshipping finances.
Some will worship only if they get something they are looking for. Thus the end/object of their worship is healing, finances, or some other thing, some other thing than Jesus. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, the problem with too many Christians is that the love of God just doesn’t mean all that much to them.
4. WORSHIP HAS A COST. Gen 22:5
In the OT you always brought a sacrifice. (An object of cost)
When you love someone you give them costly objects, because you want to express to them the depth of your love.
FORGIVING is a costly act of worship. You offer to leave your anger at God’s altar, as an expression of your recognition of the demands of His lordship.
WAITING is a costly act of worship. You offer to leave your impatience at God’s altar, as an expression of your confidence in His omniscience and love.
TRUSTING is a costly act of worship. You offer to leave your doubt at God’s altar, as an expression of your confidence in His trustworthiness.
PRAISING is a costly act of worship. You offer to leave your praise at God’s altar, as an expression of your recognition of His worthiness. Isn’t that what Job did in chapter 1?
SUBMISSION is a costly act of worship. (Worship has a position, it is a humble one) You offer to leave your will at God’s altar, as an expression of your recognition of His Sovereignty as revealed through His Word. Your submission is to God and His word.
GIVING is a costly act of worship. You offer to leave your finances at God’s altar, as an expression in earthly terms of the recognition that all you have comes from His hands, and that your giving is an expression of the highest order of His worth to you.
Close: How do you need to respond to this message. Submission? Waiting? Praising. We bow down and proclaim you are Lord.
